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“Oh, I don’t think so.” Curling her lip, Amalia glanced out the window. “Costumes require a sizeable financial outlay, and we simply don’t have the budget.”
“I’m not recommending anything elaborate or rented from Malabar,” said Georgie. “We could purchase budget-friendly bedsheets and turn them into mourning robes, then use Velcro as fasteners. Easy on, easy off. Accessible for everyone.”
“Amalia, I did look into the budget,” said Oliver. “There’s some money available under ‘miscellaneous’. We wouldn’t need to spend much.”
Georgie glanced back to Amalia, who motioned for her to continue. “For touch, we would have the students hold lentils and chickpeas as offerings to the deceased. They’re inexpensive and foods the ancient Egyptians would’ve eaten.”
Amalia frowned. “We can’t have legumes scattered about, creating unwanted mess.”
“They’ll be in pouches,” Georgie replied calmly. “There won’t be a mess.”
“I should hope not. Go on.”
“For smell, the guide would light some incense—in a controlled way, of course, so it doesn’t create a fire hazard,” said Georgie. “And for hearing, we’d play music to create the appropriate mood.”
A scoff burst from Amalia’s lips. “No music from that time period exists.”
“But we do know the types of instruments used back then,” explained Georgie. “Reed pipes, harps, drums. It wouldn’t be too difficult to find a CD with music inspired by ancient Egypt. Sam the Record Man has a huge collection of world music.”
“The students could even shake a tambourine or two,” added Oliver.
“We could buy those from Steve’s Music.” Georgie paused, waiting for Amalia’s rebuttal, but nothing but a fleeting frown arose from the far side of the desk, so she continued. “By encouraging the students’ senses, we’ll immerse them IN the experience, which will evoke an authentic emotional response. In my years of teaching, I’ve found that an emotional takeaway from a lesson is always more memorable and impactful than a list of facts.”
“But you’ve only mentioned four senses. There are five,” said Amalia. “You’re missing taste.”
“We left it out on purpose.” Georgie looked at Oliver quickly. “Some students have allergies and sensitivities, and this experience should be a safe and enjoyable one for everyone. Snacking could also result in sticky hands. Obviously, we want to avoid damage in the exhibit hall.”
Amalia shifted in her chair. “Thank goodness for that.”
Georgie pressed on. “Once the students have completed their procession, the museum’s guide could share details about ancient Egypt’s professional mourners and show items within your collection that were left in actual burial chambers. We could also explain how rituals back then echo today’s funeral rituals—practices such as a belief in some version of the afterlife, respect for the deceased’s remains, and how we often bury possessions of personal importance with our loved ones. All these commonalities provide a living link to the mummies of ancient Egypt, providing valuable context for visiting students.”
“We could also show them hieroglyphics depicting processions like the one they’d just participated in,” said Oliver. “To see people from thousands of years ago doing the exact same thing? That’s pretty memorable and a great takeaway.”
Amalia’s eyes narrowed, her bright red lips taut. “It’s different.”
And? Georgie clutched her hands tighter.
“Within budget. Easy to execute. Fun.” Amalia nodded pensively. “I like it. Philanthropic support could use it as a fundraising hook, too. Benefactors are always looking to invest in programs that inspire and captivate. It makes them feel integral to the educational process, helping to shape young minds.” She peered out the window again. “More donations would make the board of directors happy, too.” Turning back, she shifted some paperwork aside. “Are you working on anything else?”
Oliver nodded. “We are, but we wanted to share this idea first to ensure we’re on the same page. We still have to write the presentation, purchase the props, and time everything out.”
“Okay. Let’s focus on this idea for now and see how it goes,” said Amalia. “Schools don’t have a lot of time on site. We don’t want their students to be so busy with multiple active learning sessions that they don’t have time to view our exhibits. We can’t lose sight of that. The main reason they’re visiting is to see our collection and how it relates to their studies.”
Oliver shared a sidelong glance with Georgie. “Definitely.”
“And as for Ms. Law’s consultancy fee…”
She’ll pay me? Georgie sat up straighter.
“…luckily, we still have room in this year’s budget. Would $25 an hour suffice?”
She grinned. “Absolutely. Thank you. And please, call me Georgina.”
Amalia nodded. “I appreciate you working on this without compensation, Georgina, but I’d like to rectify that as soon as possible. If you submit your invoice for the time you’ve accumulated so far to my assistant by noon Wednesday, we’ll get you paid in the next payroll cycle.”
“Okay,” said Georgie, still grinning. “Thanks.”
“Now, you should know we can’t make sizeable changes to our outreach curriculum until the new year,” said Amalia. “It’s one thing to rewrite the script our guides use, but it’s quite another to roll out participatory learning with props and music. I realize you both have momentum on your side right now, but the delay in execution will grant you adequate time to prepare thoroughly and get the job done right the first time. We can’t have the ongoing issue we’re stumbling through now. We have to make this revamp count for all our sakes.”
